Monogram attachment



Nov. 17, 1964 w. s. KLITZNER 3,156,960

MONOGRAM ATTACHMENT Filed March 11, 1963 INVENTOR WILLIAM S KLITZNER MfM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,156,969 MONGGRAR l ATTAQHWNT William S. Klitzner, Cranston, R.I., assignor to Harry Klitzner Co., Inc, Providence, 12.1., a corporation of Rhode Island File-d Mar. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 264,366 3 Qlaims. (til. 24-41) The present invention relates to a monogram attachment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a personal identification device for use with writing instruments and other personal articles, wherein initials, a design, or the name of the owner of the article is attached to a clip member that is formed as a part of the article.

One of the uses for the monogram or personal identification attachment embodied in the present invention is for securement to writing instruments, such as ballpoint pens, pencils or the like, that are normally provided with a clip member for securing the writing instrument in a pocket of the user. However, it is understood that the concept of the invention may be utilized whenever a clip member is employed and is normally secured to an article that is of a personal nature.

in the present invention, a strip of ductile material that is preferably cast in a curved or bowed configuration is formed with identifying indicia, such as initials, crest, or a name, on the outer surface thereof. Locking fingers or lugs are joined to the opposite ends of the cast strip or insert and are adapted to provide for the securement of the insert to clip member. The configuration of the insert corresponds generally to that of the clip member, the clip member being normally formed with a slot therein for receiving the outwardly extending lugs of the insert. The insert is secured to the clip member by placement thereon and then applying manual pressure thereto so that the insert is forced from the bowed position to a generally flat position. During this flattening operation. the oppositely located lugs extend into the slot formed in the clip member to securely lock the insert in place. Since the insert is provided with the suitable monogramming or indicia on the outer surface thereof, an unusual effect is produced that is pleasing and decorative in appearance.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment for securing identifying indicia or designs to a personal article.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a monogram attachment that is adapted to be secured to a clip member of a writing instrument by the simple application of pressure thereto.

Still another object is to provide a personal identification attachment that is formed in a bowed configuration and that is pressed into engagement with a clip member that has a corresponding groove formed therein.

Still another object is to provide a personal identification attachment that is formed with integral securing ele ments that are adapted to engage a clip member upon the application of pressure to the attachment.

Still another object is to provide an insert for use with a clip member of a writing instrument having identifying indicia formed on the outer surface thereof and that is adapted to be pressed into securing engagement in a corresponding groove formed in the clip member.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a writing instrument such as a pen illustrating the identification attachment of the present invention secured thereto;

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FIG; 2 is a side elevational view of the pen and attachment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment embodied in the present invention illustrating the clip member and insert therefor located in secured. relation in the clip member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 showing the clip member to which the insert is adapted to be secured;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the insert of the attachment embodied herein;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the insert illustrated in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7-7, a portion of the pen to which the attachment is secured being illustrated in phantom.

Referring now to the drawing, the personal identification attachment of the present invention is illustrated as applied to a writing instrument such as a ballpoint pen generally indicated at 16. It is understood, of course, that the attachment of the present invention maybe used with other writing instruments, such as fountain pens, pencils, etc. It is further contemplated. that the concept of the invention may be utilized whenever an attachment having personal identifying indicia is required.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pen It includes a barrel 12, on the lowermost end of which a point 14 is secured and on the uppermost end of which a plunger 16 is mounted. Also secured to the uppermost end of the barrel 12 is a clip member generally indicated at 18 that is provided for securing the pen 10 in the pocket of the user. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clip member 18 is defined by a body portion 20 that includes longitudinally extending inclined side walls 22 and 24, the body portion 2t and side walls defining a groove therebetween. The side walls 22 and 24 along with the body portion 29 of the clip member 18 have a generally tapered configuration from top to bottom as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is understood, of course, that various configurations may be utilized for the clip member without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Formed in the groove of the body portion 20 is a longitudinally outstanding slot 26 that is bordered by the side walls 22 and 24. The slot 26 terminates adjacent the lower end of the body portion 20 so that an inner raised protuberance 28 may be formed on the inner surface of the body portion 20 to provide a holding means for the clip member when the pen is inserted in the pocket of the user. Formed at right angles with respect to the body portion 20 and integrally joined thereto is an upper portion 34 that is formed with an enlarged opening 32, the opening 32 being employed for securing the clip member 18 to the upper end of the pen barrel 12 Referring now to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, an insert generally indicated at 34 is illustrated and cooperates with the clip member 13 to define the attachment of the present invention. The insert 36 is preferably cast of a ductile metal in a curved or bowed configuration as illustrated. The case insert 36 includes a body 38, the side walls of which are inclined and that are adapted to generally correspond to the inclination of the side walls 22, 24 of the clip member 18. integrally joined to the body portion 38 at opposite ends thereof are outwardly extending fingers or lugs 43 and 42. As will be described, the lugs 40, 42 are provided for securing the insert 36 to the clip member 18. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the rearmost surface of the body portion 38 is formed with transversely extending grooves indicated at 24 that provide for easy bending or depressing of the insert 36 from the bowed configuration to a flat configuration as will be described. As illustrated in PEG. 5, the outermost surface of the body portion 38 of 3 the insert 36 is formed with identifying indicia to indicate a nameor initials of the user of the pen.

The insert 36 is normally constructed such that the longitudinal dimension thereof is approximately the same as the slot-26 formed in the clip member 18. As will be seen, this dimensional arrangement of the insert 36 and the slot 26 provides for simple securement of the insert 36 to the clip member 18.

When the insert 36 is to be secured to the clip member 18, it is placed within the groove defined by the side walls 22, 24 of the clip member 18, the lugs ail, 42 extending within fthe slot 26 .so thatthe outer ends of the body portion 38 of the'insert 36 engage the ends of the slot 26. In this position, the lugs 40, 42 extend beneath the adjacent sections of the body portion 20 of the clip member 18. Since the insert 36 is initiallyformed in the bowed configuration, there is some looseness or play of the insert 36 with respect to the slot 26 in which it is positioned. Manual pressure is then applied to the outer surface of the body portion 38 of the insert 36 so as to force the insert 36 from the bowed configuration thereof, as illustrated in'FIGS. 5 and 6, to a generally flat configuration, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7. As the insert 36 is forced to the generally-flat configuration, the lugs 49,

'42 are moved into engaging relation with the underside of the body portion Ztl of the clip member 18, thereby locking the insert 36 in the clip member 18. Since the side walls of the insert 36 generally correspond to the inclination of the side walls 22, 24 of the clip member 18, the insert 36 snugly fits within the groove defined by the inclined walls 22,.24 of the clip member 13.

It is seen that the attachment defined by the insert 36 and clip member 18 defines a simple yet eiiective and decorative arrangement for the pen 16. Any suitable initialorname may be formed on the outer surface of the insert 36 so that the user may quickly and easily attach his own name or initials to the clip member 18 as desired. The material from which the insert 36 is formed is a ductilemetal, thereby providing for easy depressing of the insert.36 from the generally bowed configuration to the generally flat configuration. If required, the insert 36may be removed from the locked position thereof by simply prying an edge of the insert upwardly, the material from which the insert is formed providing .for bending of the insert during the removal thereof. However, it will be noted that once'the insert 36 is locked in position in the groove formed in the clip member 18, it cannot be removed unless it is pried from the locked position thereof. The clip member 18 and insert 36 may be formedof any conventional color so as to lend a pleasing appearance to the pen with which they are associated. The letters, numerals or other identifying indicia applied 'to'the'insert 3.6 may be formed in any desired type or font, thereby additionally lending to the unusual and atractiveappearance of the assembly.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those'skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a personal identification attachment, a clip member defined by an elongated body portion that is formed with a longitudinally extending groove, the side walls of which are generally inclined, there being a longitudinally extending slot formed in said groove between said inclined walls, and an insert for securernent to said clip member including a body thatis generally bowed in the initial formation thereof and that is formed with an under surface, an outer surface and inclined side Walls, said under surface having a lateral dimension that is less than the lateral dimension of said outer surface and that generally corresponds to the lateral dimension of said slot, opposed lugs joined to the under surface of said insert, the lateral dimension of said lugs being less than that of said outer surface and corresponding generally to that of said inner surface, wherein said lugs are insertable within said slot, said insertbeing receivable within said groove so that said lugs project through said slot and the ends of said insert are located adjacent to the ends of said slot,

, said insert being depressed from the bowed configuration in said groove to a generally flat configuration, wherein the inclined side walls of said insert engage the inclined side walls of said groove, said lugs projecting beneath the ends of said slot for loclring said insert in said clip member and the outer surfaces of said insert occupying substantially the full width of the portion of the groove in which it is located.

2. In a personal identification attachment as set forth in claim 1, said attachment being adapted for use with a. writing instrument, means joined to one end of the body portion of said clip member for securing said attachment to the upper end of said writing instrument.

3. In a personal identification attachment as set forth in claim 1, said insert being formed with transverse grooves on the under surface thereof that facilitate the. depressing of said insert when it is secured to said clip member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION ATTACHMENT, A CLIP MEMBER DEFINED BY AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION THAT IS FORMED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE, THE SIDE WALLS OF WHICH ARE GENERALLY INCLINED, THERE BEING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT FORMED IN SAID GROOVE BETWEEN SAID INCLINED WALLS, AND AN INSERT FOR SECUREMENT TO SAID CLIP MEMBER INCLUDING A BODY THAT IS GENERALLY BOWED IN THE INITIAL FORMATION THEREOF AND THAT IS FORMED WITH AN UNDER SURFACE, AN OUTER SURFACE AND INCLINED SIDE WALLS, SAID UNDER SURFACE HAVING A LATERAL DIMENSION THAT IS LESS THAN THE LATERAL DIMENSION OF SAID OUTER SURFACE AND THAT GENERALLY CORRESPONDS TO THE LATERAL DIMENSION OF SAID SLOT, , OPPOSED LUGS JOINED TO THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID INSERT, THE LATERAL DIMENSION OF SAID LUGS BEING LESS THAN THAT OF SAID OUTER SURFACE AND CORRESPONDING GENERALLY TO THAT OF SAID INNER SURFACE, WHEREIN SAID LUGS ARE INSERTABLE WITHIN SAID SLOT, SAID INSERT BEING RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID GROOVE SO THAT SAID LUGS PROJECT THROUGH SAID SLOT AND THE ENDS OF SAID INSERT ARE LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE ENDS OF SAID SLOT, SAID INSERT BEING DEPRESSED FROM THE BOWED CONFIGURATION IN SAID GROOVE TO A GENERALLY FLAT CONFIGURATION, WHEREIN THE INCLINED SIDE WALLS OF SAID INSERT ENGAGE THE INCLINED SIDE WALLS OF SAID GROOVE, SAID LUGS PROJECTING BENEATH THE ENDS OF SAID SLOT FOR LOCKING SAID INSERT IN SAID CLIP MEMBER AND THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID INSERT OCCUPYING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL WIDTH OF THE PORTION OF THE GROOVE IN WHICH IT IS LOCATED. 